This month, we are highlighting one of our amazing Master Instructors: Michal Artzi from Tel Aviv, Isreal. She has made it her life's mission to bring effortless, graceful running to all!

Right after the workshop with Kathy I went for my first run, and for the first time in a very long time, I did not feel the pulse aching in my heels! I was thrilled! In a very gradual way, I implemented the principles of Chi into my runs and into my life. I learned so much about my body; about the way I can use it. Gradually I added more distance to my runs. It took me 4 years to do my first marathon.
Every distance I achieved, I thought I would never run more than that. I thought I’ll never run more that 10 k… more that 15… more that half a marathon. Than I thought I will never run more than one Marathon. But I did not believe myself anymore… As of now I ran six marathons and three ultras... And the future is wide open!

The fundamental principles that make T’ai Chi the “mother of all martial arts” present us with a skill set to live and grow by. Bring these ancient guidelines to bear on your everyday choices and improve the quality of your whole life. Join ChiLiving®, ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® founders, Katherine and Danny Dreyer, at their first-ever ChiLiving Workshop at the Omega Institute September 17th-22nd, 2017.

Many people have said ChiRunning has changed their life, not just because of the running, but because they transferred their experience and knowledge to the rest of their life. You can apply these principles to: parenting, health and fitness, career, relationships, creative expression, spiritual exploration...wherever your life needs to be rebalanced and supported.

Learn to approach life as a T’ai Chi Master would, focused in your intent, centered in your physical and personal integrity, clear, open and innately responsive to the world around you.

Katherine and Danny Dreyer are teachers, speakers and co-authors of ChiRunning, ChiWalking and ChiMarathon (Simon & Schuster). With a global presence of Certified Instructors in over 25 countries, they have taught thousands of students the art of intelligent movement. Their mission is to offer innovative tools that create real change and a higher quality lifestyle.

It’s no shock that learning a new hobby can strengthen your brain. However, when we think of learning new hobbies we often think of “intellectual” pursuits - such as learning a new language or learning how to write a story.

These intellect-driven hobbies are proven to increase white matter in the brain, which is incredibly beneficial. It helps our overall cognitive ability. However, it’s also been shown that learning new physical abilities can improve an incredibly important part of the brain - the motor cortex - which controls how we move.

So, by focusing only on learning “mental hobbies” we may be short changing ourselves, big time.

A Canadian Chinese brought up in Hong Kong, Jane worked in the fields of training consultant and project management for over 20 years. ChiRunning found Jane through through a close friend who was amazed by the concept of using Chi in running. She read the ChiRunning book and started practicing by herself, and noticed there was something profound in the technique and decided to learn it from the masters.

ChiRunning’s effortless running concept has totally changed Jane's approach to body movement and training. After practicing ChiRunning, running injuries and long recovery time became history. Jane believes that combining her training profession with her passion for running is a gift to her life, and when she sees smiling faces on her students, she feels the energy and happiness radiating from within.

ChiRunning and ChiWalking are expanding and growing all over the world. Two of the first countries to truly adopt the ChiTechniques were Netherlands and Belgium. This is due in part to the efforts Marion Meesters and Ans Oudejaans, who are our Regional Directors of these countries. And, we believe the early success is also due to the open minded, inquisitive nature of the Dutch and Belgian people.

In our books we write about the Chi Skills: Focusing the Mind, Body Sensing, Breathing, Relaxing, Non-identification. Which one is most important? It depends, of course, of what you most need, but we think it is Non-identification – learning to observe yourself, (and the world around you for that matter) without judgement, without bias, and with a great deal of kindness and compassion.

Have you given up on New Year’s Resolutions? If so, you may be missing a great opportunity for the feeling of a new start that can make a huge difference in your life. Every morning is an opportunity to start anew. January is like the morning of the year ahead, a perfect time to initiate and take important steps toward your intentions.

You can make running easier…after all, why push yourself down the road when you can be pulled…by gravity, that is.

In our last workshop some people found it difficult to let go and let gravity do its job. Whether it’s a mindset that says you need to work hard, or legs that want to be tree stumps and not loose like noodles, the hardest part of ChiRunning® is learning to relax and let go.

Exercise is being shown to be perhaps the most important factor in keeping healthy—physically and mentally—as we age. Exercise changes the way our brain functions and grows, improving the quality of our whole life experience. When we walk fast, regardless of our age, we produce new cells in the hippocampus, the brain area that plays a key role in turning short-term memories into long.